Cambodian airline looking to recruit TransAsia pilots

2017/01/11 22:38:38

CNA file photo

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) Cambodia Bayon Airlines said Wednesday that it plans to recruit 14-16 pilots from Taiwan's TransAsia Airways, which closed its services last November and dissolved its business operations Wednesday.

Pilots who have experience flying TransAsia's fleet of A320s and A321s on international and cross-Taiwan Strait routes and those who flew ATRs on domestic flights will be of interest to the Cambodian carrier, its agency in Taiwan said.

Founded in 2014, Cambodia Bayon Airlines is based in Phnom Penh and has operational bases in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville in Cambodia and in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

The airline is seeking to expand its international services to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, South Korea and Japan, according to the agency.

At a special shareholders meeting in Taipei on Wednesday, shareholders of TransAsia Airways endorsed the carrier's management decision to dissolve the company, in light of its heavy debts and poor prospects for future operations.

That decision followed an abrupt announcement by TransAsia executives on Nov. 22 last year that they were closing down the airline.

The airline suffered losses of NT$2.2 billion (US$69 million) in the first three quarters of 2016 and reportedly was unsuccessful in its efforts to find a buyer.